The slow scrutiny of the elections that were held on Thursday to appoint the 90 legislators of the regional assembly gave Sinn Fein a slight advantage over the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), in favor of keeping Northern Ireland within the monarchy British.
In Belfast, the count so far gives Sinn Fein 27 of the 88 declared seats, once morest 24 for the DUP. But Sinn Fein has already won more first-preference votes (29% to 21.3% for the DUP), making it Northern Ireland’s biggest party, and a turnaround is ruled out. “Sinn Fein seems to be emerging as the first party” in Northern Ireland, admitted DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson.
This is the first time that the Republican Party has a majority in Parliament since the division of the island
This would be the first time the Republican party has headed the regional parliament since the partition of the island in 1921. “This is a defining moment for our politics and our people,” said Michelle O’Neill, the leader of Sinn Fein, a former arm IRA politician. “I will bring inclusive leadership that celebrates diversity and ensures rights and equality for those who have been excluded, discriminated once morest or ignored in the past,” she added.
The victory would propel O’Neill to the position of head of the local government. But the Good Friday peace deal, which in 1998 ended three decades of bloody conflict between Catholic Republicans and Protestant Unionists, establishes a power-sharing between the two camps.
However, the negotiations are announced to be difficult, given that the unionists refuse to integrate the cabinet while the customs controls between the island and the rest of the United Kingdom, established by the Brexit agreements, persist.
In the eyes of the unionists, these controls threaten the unity of the country, made up of four nations, three of them (England, Scotland and Wales) located on the island of Great Britain and the other on Ireland. The crisis in Northern Ireland loomed once more in February with the resignation of the unionist head of government Paul Givan, precisely in disagreement with the customs rules of Brexit.
Another DUP leader, Edwin Poots, warned that negotiations might take “weeks, if we are lucky, even months.”
“Sinn Fein’s success is due to the weakness of unionism in a period of great change in the United Kingdom due to Brexit, but it does not represent a radical change of opinion in Northern Ireland in favor of reunification” with the Republic of Ireland, Katy Hayward, a political scientist at Queen’s University Belfast, told AFP.
Elsewhere in the UK, local elections marked a severe setback for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party, hit by the lockdown party scandal and rising prices.
jov (afp, daily news)
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“Game of Thrones”: filming locations in the world
North Ireland
Northern Ireland is an essential location for “Game of Thrones.” It is the setting for both North Poniente and Iron Island. One of the favorite locations is still the Dark Hedges (photo): the road to King’s Landing in “GOT”. Now, the country is also home to the first recording studio tour, allowing fans to delve into the world of the popular series.
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“Game of Thrones”: filming locations in the world
Croatia
With its charming old town, the Croatian city of Dubrovnik is known as one of the most beautiful in the Balkans. It was an essential filming location for “Game of Thrones”, for example, in King’s Landing, the seat of kings in Westeros and the hot spot of intrigue and secrets in the series. Fans traveling to Dubrovnik can also book visits to other nearby filming locations.
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“Game of Thrones”: filming locations in the world
Iceland
Iceland’s harsh climate has provided the setting for the northern locations, in particular the frigid kingdom north of the Wall where Wildlings and White Walkers roam. The island is made up of snow-capped mountains and volcanic landscapes. Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (photo), was the scene of Arya’s journey through the Middle West.
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“Game of Thrones”: filming locations in the world
Morocco
From Iceland to the intense heat of Morocco, the film crew got used to the extreme weather. Aït-Ben-Haddou, in Morocco, became two cities: Pentos, where Daenerys’s character lives before getting married, and Yunkai, where she frees the city’s slaves. Aït-Ben-Haddou has long attracted filmmakers and featured in such films as “Gladiator” and “The Mummy.”
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“Game of Thrones”: filming locations in the world
Malta
Daenerys and Drogo’s wedding was not shot in Morocco, but in Malta. The setting was the Azure Window, a 50-meter-high limestone arch located on the island of Gozo, which unfortunately collapsed during a storm in 2017. In addition to “Game of Thrones”, this ancient natural attraction appeared in movies such as “Clash of the Titans” and “The Count of Monte Cristo”.
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“Game of Thrones”: filming locations in the world
spain
Spain became an important location in the fifth season of the series. In Seville, the Real Alcázar de Sevilla (photo) is transformed into the Water Gardens of Dorne, and the Osuna bullring gives life to the Meereen Arena. Both locations are popular tourist attractions in the Andalusian city. Other locations of “GOT” in Spain are Almería, Peñíscola and Girona.
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“Game of Thrones”: filming locations in the world
Scotland
Doune Castle (also known as Winterfell), where the pilot episode was filmed, is the only “Game of Thrones” filming location in Scotland. The medieval castle was originally built in the 13th century and can be seen in several other movies such as “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”.
Author: Elisabeth Yorck von Wartenburg
